Gennifer Gray

Principles of Management

Mrs. J. Lapoint

23 Feb. 2005

                                      The City of Sageview Case

I.                  RECOMMENDATION

Get everyone together to talk about why they are unable to cope with the changes. Make a list of these reasons. After the list has been made go back through and see what compromises and/or changes can be made.

II.               PROBLEM STATEMENT

One problem is that Morris does not talk to the employees. You need a well built relationship with anyone you are working with. Another problem is that the previous two city managers had the concept that “no improvements are better for the city.”

III.           ANALYSIS

a.     LIST OF SYMPTOMS

 The previous city managers didn’t look forward to the future. They dug a hole for the city and now there are few people who are willing to take the risk and follow the new city manager. Because the city is so set within there past ways of doing things the new improvements are not setting well with the older members. Which causes the older members to quite or be fired which then causes valuable wisdom resources to be lost. Then there is an issue with housing…it has become too expensive.  Sageview needs to expand and spread out the employment but the city is having problems getting the services reworked to provide for the expansion.

b.     DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS

Morris has some great ideas but he needs to get more people on his side. Those people should not be the ones he has either brought in with him or hired right away when he has arrived there. I feel he is right in doing a study on the salaries and job classifications; the study needs to be done to find out where things could be improved. I am not saying that there should be pay cuts but maybe pay increases to get everyone equal in pay according to the work load they are carrying.

IV.             ALTERNATIVES

The top management team needs some work. It needs to either have a change in command (fire and hire new) or reorganized. If Morris were to hire an assistant manager that knows the city and its people he might gain more support than he is now with the fact that he has brought an assistant with him.

V.                EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES

I know that firing those who have been there forever in a day would not be the best thing if you look at loosing wisdom and experience but how are there going to be changes made if no one is willing to go along for the ride. I do believe that the city manager should know the people and what they want. A city manager should be able to take what the people want and put it to use, while using his/her skill to persuade the community that change is good. The city manager will never be able to please the whole city but if at least half the city is for it then maybe once the change has taken place the other half will learn or start to accept the change as being a good thing. 

VI.             IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

I feel that the first step would be to have a one on one conversation with each of the top management team members and find out just what exactly they don’t agree with. Then compile all the disagreements and try to work them out. Then Morris needs to start getting with the people of the city and learning what they would like and truly need in the city. Morris really should hire an assistant manager who really does know the people and what their needs are. Gaining someone from the city could mean more chances of the changes be accepted a little easier by those who are currently apposing them.